Twisted Tales: Lips as Red as Blood
by F.H. Blake
Summary: The Kingdom of Karid is under threat from a renegade vampire princess; Snow White. The only people who can stop her are the Queen's Huntsmen; Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Hansel and his sister, Gretel. Follow our heroes as they face not only the greatest evil in the land but their own demons as well. These are the twisted tales of your favourite Disney characters.
1. Escape

_Usually these stories start with "Once Upon a Time in a land far away…" but that's not the case with this one. If you think this is going to be a fairytale, then you've got the wrong story. In case you haven't noticed, life doesn't exactly have a happy ending. Endings suck, but they are inevitable. No good story starts at the end, but neither does it start at the beginning. We'll start in the middle, in a Kingdom called Karid….5 years ago…._

 **The Kingdom of Karid**

 **5 Years ago…**

"Queen Lucille hereby cordially invites you to her Mid-Winter Ball in celebration of Prince Henry's birthday."

Cinderella let out a breath, handing the invitation to her step-mother after she finished reading it out loud. Her stepmother took another sip of tea before taking the invitation, raising one finely plucked eyebrow. The woman's long nails scraped against Cinder's skin, making her shiver. She took a step back, folding her hands behind her back as her step-mother's yellow eyes scanned the invitation.

"It's addressed to all the young ladies of Karid. It seems like the Prince is going to be choosing a bride at this ball," her stepmother purred, looking up at her two daughters. Anastasia was busy buttering her toast, her eyes still closed as she was half asleep. Drizella was just as asleep, light snores coming from her mouth. Cinder had to cover her mouth to hide a smirk. The two of them were out all night doing who knows what…or rather, who knows _who._ Cinder knew that her stepsisters were just as likely to become queen as she was, but she couldn't tell them that.

Her stepmother cleared her throat loudly, kicking Anastasia underneath the table. The red haired girl jerked awake, her toast flying out of her hand. She elbowed Drizella, who also jerked awake and sat up straight. Cinder rushed to grab the toast off the floor before Lucifer the fat cat could sweep it up. She disappeared into the kitchen, dusting the toast off before all but shoving it into her mouth. It was the first food that she had eaten in two days. Her stomach was grumbling so loudly she was sure it would eventually cause an earthquake. She swallowed, breathing hard as she leant against the wall . If her stepmother found out she ate that piece of toast she would get another beating, and her ass was still sore from the last one.

It was a chance she had to take, she was hungry, and she didn't know how she was going to get through her chores today without some food in her stomach. She made her way back to the dining room, where Anastasia and Drizella were fighting over who was wearing what to the ball. Cinder could feel her stepmother's eyes on her as she swept through the room, straightening things up and refilling their tea cups.

She didn't risk asking about the ball in case one of the lashed out at her. The invitation was technically extended to all of the ladies in the kingdom, but that didn't apply to her.

12 years, that's how long she had been working for her stepmother. Ever since her father died and that wretched woman "inherited" her. They were awful, just horrible people. The first time Cinder's stepmother beat her was when she was fourteen.

She hadn't been given food in four days, and she fainted while carrying a tray of very expensive teacups. Every cup broke, and Cinder was hauled downstairs into the basement, where she was chained to the wall and given four lashes on her back by the evil woman. By the third one she mercifully blacked out again, and when she woke up the floor was soaked in blood. They left her down there for two days before giving her food and something to patch her back up with. It was a miracle that she didn't get an infection, but then again, her father always told her she was lucky.

After that beating Cinder stepped lightly, she obeyed every command and didn't say a word. She still slept in the basement, and some nights Anastasia or Drizella would come in, drunk and looking for someone to pick a fight with. They would chain her to the wall and beat her too, but after a while Cinder didn't feel their punches anymore.

"I suppose you want to go to this party?" Her stepmother's voice rang out, silencing the two bickering girls. Cinder froze, not entirely sure what the right response would be.

"I would like to, yes, but I understand that I cannot," Cinder answered cautiously as she straightened her dress. Anastasia snickered and Drizella scoffed. Her stepmother stood up, walking over to Cinder. Yellow eyes scanned her up and down before her palm flew over Cinder's cheek. Cinder's head snapped back and she cursed internally as her cheek stung. Tears flooded her eyes, but she bit them back, not breaking eye contact with her stepmother.

"Anastasia, Drizelle, take her downstairs, she's not allowed to come up for the rest of the week."

Cinder's eyes widened and her mouth ran dry. It was only Tuesday, which meant she was going to go six days without food. That's the longest she's ever been without food. Before she could even protest her stepmother slapped her again, this time across the other cheek. Anastasia and Drizelle each grabbed an arm, dragging her down toward the darkness. Cinder closed her eyes, wishing she was anywhere but here. Chains rattled as Drizella closed the shackled around Cinder's wrists. They were already hard and calloused, so Cinder didn't even feel the rough steel anymore.

"Poor little Cinderella, wants to go to the ball," Anastasia sneered pulling Cinder's dress up. There was a sickening _smack_ of leather meeting flesh as the whip cracked over her back. Cinder could feel old wounds opening up again, warm blood dripping down her sides. She bit her lip, closing her eyes and counting the hits until her world went dark.

* * *

She woke hours later, groaning softly as the pain chased all the grogginess away. The basement had a small window which usually let in sunlight, but it was dark out now. Cinder held her breath, listening closely for sounds of life in the house. She must have slept the whole day away and most of the night, because all around her it was silent.

"Aaah.." She groaned as she attempted to sit up straight. The dried blood on her back cracked as she moved, and the wounds burned and protested against the movement. She took a few deep breaths before trying again, pulling herself upright against the wall. Her hands were still shackled, but that was something she could fix. She learned long ago how to outsmart her dim stepsisters.

With another groan she pushed herself onto her knees, holding her head against her hands. She was able to make a spare key for the shackles on one of the trips she was allowed into town. She hid the key inside her hair every day, just in case she was going to be thrown into the basement. She reached into her hair, grunting and breathing heavily as her fingers found the cool metal object. She twisted around, pushing the key into the lock and opening it. As soon as her hands were free she fell back down on the ground, crying out in relief.

"Fucking hell…" she groaned, giving herself two minutes to just lay on the ground before getting up. She didn't have a lot of time, but now was the best time to do this. Cinder scrambled over to the far corner of the basement, digging her nails into the ground and lifting up one of the heavy stone tiles. She discovered it was loose when she was fifteen and had been secretly digging a hole underneath it and hiding things there for years. Now she was finally ready.

She picked up the small box inside, opening it up. It had everything she needed. Chalk, the bones of a small child whose grave she robbed, rosemary and blood. She had lots of blood. Inside was also a few bandages and clean water, and she took a few minutes to wash her back as best she could and wrap it up. When she was finished she grabbed the chalk, copying the runes she had seen in a book and committed to memory.

It happened accidentally one day while she was cleaning the library. She had stopped believing in Gods a long time ago, but the book that fell out of the shelf and landed on her head gave her hope. It was a book on the god of the underworld, Hades. The book also detailed how to summon him, and how to strike a deal with him. Cinder was sceptical about this, but then again, she didn't exactly have much of a choice. The man upstairs failed to answer her calls, so maybe the man downstairs could.

After she finished drawing all the symbols, she mixed the baby bones, the rosemary and some of her blood in a bowl before setting it on fire. A strong metal smell hit her in the face and she gagged, holding her hand over her nose as she started to recite the words she had memorised to summon Hades.

"A summons, how exciting. Most people these days prefer to send ravens. No one has had the balls to summon me in quite some time."

The voice behind her made Cinder jump and she turned around, her eyes widening. In front of her stood a painfully beautiful woman with chestnut hair that hung to her waist. Her skin was so white it seemed to glow, illuminating the tiny basement. Her eyes shone like a pair of bright coals, and when she looked at Cinder she had a strange urge to claw off her skin.

"H…Hades?" Cinder asked softly. The woman scoffed and laughed, a horrible sound that made Cinder cringe.

"That bastard? He got flushed down the drain a few millennia ago. I'm Queen of the underworld now. The name's Megara, but my friends call me Meg."

"C..Cinderella," Cinder said, her voice still a little shaky.

"I know who you are dear. I'm Queen of the dead, and honey your soul has been dead a long time. What do you want?" Megara waved her hand in the air, conjuring up two black chairs. She sat down on one, her purple dress twisting around her like smoke. Cinder watched the goddess warily before settling down into the other chair.

"If you know my name then you must know why I called you here. I want out of this house, and I want out of this life. I want to be free." Cinder took a deep breath, proud of herself for keeping her voice even around the Queen of Darkness.

Megara's eyebrows raised and she smirked, showing her sharp teeth. "You want freedom? Don't we all sister. What kind of freedom do you want? I could unlock the door to your cell and you can walk out of here," Megara snapped her fingers and the basement door flew open. "I can put your step-family to sleep permanently." Her eyes flashed red and Cinder sank back in her seat. "Or I could give you a prince and a castle. I heard Prince Henry is looking for a wife. You're a pretty girl. Lucille would be fond of you."

Cinder swallowed, not sure what to make of the offer. She didn't even think this far ahead. Did she want a life in a castle with a prince? All she knew was that she needed to get out of this hell hole.

"Tick tock kiddo," Megara said, glancing at an imaginary watch on her wrist.

"I want a weapon, and I want to walk out of this house and I never want my step-family to find me." The words fell out of Cinder's mouth before she could even properly think about them. Why did she ask for a weapon? What was she even going to do with it?

"What kind of weapon?" Megara asked, leaning forward, her eyes on fire with mischief.

Cinder's next words answered all of her questions. "One that kills monsters."

"Human monsters or actual monsters dear?"

"All monsters are human Megara."

* * *

 **I had fun writing this. A lot of fun, especially with Megara. I know it's dark, but that's the point. I wanted something dark. I will not be finishing Bad Blood, instead I'll be writing this and letting my mind go with it. It's a story that I've wanted to write for a long time. Let me know what you guys think.**


	2. Ashes to Ashes

**The Kingdom of Karid**

 **Magellen**

 **Present Day**

Magellen was a small town on the edge of the Karid Mountains, famous for their beer brewed from the mountain springs. It was often frequented by dwarves, the miners who worked in the mountains. They were a rowdy bunch, but Red knew how to deal with them. He tugged his red hood low over his face, his eyes scanning the pub. It was mostly empty, as the sun had just set and the dwarves were still on their way down from the mountains. He had about thirty minutes before this place would become overrun with drunk dwarves.

Red took a sip of the beer, shuddering as the golden liquid washed down his throat. He hated dwarf beer. He sat back, the wooden chair groaning as he put his weight on its back legs. He was eager to get out of Magellen and head back to the capital, but he promised the Queen he would be thorough in his investigation. Thorough and discreet. His eyes flickered to the clock above the bar. Twenty minutes.

"Tis nice of the Queen to send her personal Huntsman." A dwarf sat down opposite Red, his ears and nose red from the cold outside.

"Lucille isn't nice," Red replied, taking another sip of the beer. The dwarf visibly choked at the casual way Red mentioned the Queen, casting a nervous glance around the pub. Only Red and a handful of other Huntsman dared to call the Queen by her name, and they only ever dared to do it behind her back. "You're late Bossy."

The dwarf grumbled something under his breath, rubbing his nose to warm it up. "Came down as fast as I could. Tis not easy out runnin' the others. Short legs you know."

Red rolled his eyes, finishing his beer before standing up. "Come on then, let's get this over with. I have places to be."

"Sure ya do," the dwarf grunted, getting to his feet and leading Red out of the bar. They could already hear the sounds of dwarves filling the streets and heading to their favourite pubs. "This way," Bossy beckoned for Red to follow him as he waddled down the street. Red gave him a few seconds head start before following. He was twice the size of the dwarf, one of his steps equalled five dwarf steps. Another reason why he wasn't particularly fond of dwarves; he hated slow walkers. The dwarf lead him down tiny cobblestoned streets, twisting and turning at sharp angles. Here and there Red could hear grunts and sighs of pleasure, and his need to return to the capital just increased by the minute.

Bossy led Red further into the town, turning down a dark alley. Luckily Red had no problems seeing in the dark, but the dwarf occasionally tripped over a loose cobblestone. After a few more minutes Bossy came to a sudden stop, almost causing Red to trip right over him. Bossy glowered at Red, who just shrugged and pushed his hood back, revealing a dishevelled head of black hair.

"In there, you have ten minutes," Bossy barked, crossing his arms over his chest and jerking his head toward the doorway they stopped in front. Red nodded thanks to the dwarf before ducking inside, the smell hitting him before anything else. The air was filled with a mixture of beer and metal, so pungent it made Red's stomach turn. Dwarf blood.

The room he was in was small, it probably housed two or three dwarves. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he was able to make out a small table and three chairs. Against the back wall was a window, the glass shattered and laying in a heap on the floor. There was a pot hanging over the fireplace, the smell of old chicken also filling the room. A staircase led to the upper level and Red quickly made his way toward it, following the stench of dwarf blood. They had been drinking beer for so long that their blood started to smell like it. Even newborn dwarflings smelled slightly of beer. The staircase creaked underneath Red's weight, echoing through the empty house. He paused, listening for any signs of trouble, but all he heard was Bossy mumbling to himself outside about how he was missing happy hour. Red continued up the stairs, the smell getting stronger now. He covered his nose with his hood as he stepped onto the landing, his eyes widening at the scene in front of him. The three dwarves who lived here were laying side by side, their eyes closed and their hands folded over their chests. Their skin was pale white, and if he didn't know any better he would have thought that they were just sleeping.

There was blood _everywhere_. It pooled on the ground in dark red puddles, dripping from the puncture wounds in the necks of the three victims. The walls were covered in blood spatter, almost like someone had tried to paint the entire room in a grisly shade of red. Red didn't even know that dwarves had that much blood inside of them. Red stepped carefully around the pools of blood, examining one of the dwarves. He was cold to the touch, his body already stiff, two neat puncture marks right on his jugular. Now Red understood why Bossy asked the Queen to send a Huntsman and not one of her officers. They weren't dealing with some murderer, no they were dealing with a monster.

Red moved on to the second dwarf, frowning as he saw that the dwarf was clutching something in one of his hands. Careful not to step in the blood, Red leaned over the dwarf, prying his hand open to reveal a piece of folded up paper.

 _Lips as red as blood._ The words jumped out at Red as he unfolded the paper, almost dropping it. The Queen had an idea of who could be responsible, and now Red just confirmed her suspicions. He stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket before heading back downstairs. He had everything he needed.

Bossy was still waiting outside the house, jumping from one foot to the other in an attempt to stay warm. Winters in the mountains were always harsh, and it was almost always winter in Magellen. The dwarves drank beer to keep them warm, especially down in the mines. Getting drunk was just a bonus.

"The Queen appreciates your discretion on the matter. We assume that you'll also take care of the bodies in a discreet way, we wouldn't want to cause a panic," Red reached into his pocket, pulling out a reasonable amount of gold and giving it to the dwarf. Bossy's eyes widened as he saw that he was getting paid and he nodded.

"Tis done. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some drinkin' to do." Bossy stuffed the gold into his pocket before turning and hurrying down the street, heading straight for the nearest pub. Red should have stayed to make sure that the dwarf did indeed do as he was told, but he didn't have the patience anymore. One could only deal with dwarves for so long.

He was about to head back toward the stables he left his horse in when the breeze changed, blowing straight through the broken window in the back of the house and out through the front door. The smell of dwarf blood made Red's stomach turn again, but this time his nose picked up on something different…something familiar.

"I should have known," he cursed under his breath, walking back into the house. "You know," he said out loud, "the great thing about dwarf houses are that they're built for dwarves. Which means normal sized people, like me can easily reach up and touch the ceiling." Red's hand shot up, grabbing her by the ankle and yanking her down from where she was hiding in the rafters. There was a small yelp as her ass hit the ground, but she was smarter than he gave her credit for. She wrapped her legs around him on the way down, bringing him to the ground with her. She jerked her hips, moving over him and pinning him down to the ground.

"Hello Cinderella," Red smirked, looking up into a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Red Riding Hood, how nice of you to drop by," she sneered at him and Red felt something cool and metal pressed against his throat.

"Is that your dagger or are you just happy to see me Cinder?" he asked, looking down to see the woman's dagger dangerously close to his throat. He jerked his hips up, catching her off guard for a split second. He took his chance, flipping her over so that her back hit the floor. The dagger fell to the ground and Red pushed it away before grabbing both her hands and pinning them above her head. His hips kept hers locked in place so that she couldn't pull the same stunt on him. He leant down over her, running his nose along her throat. She smelled like heaven…what he wouldn't give for a bite right now.

"What are you waiting for Red?" Cinder asked through clenched teeth, her body tense underneath his and her breathing ragged.

"As tempting as you are Cinder…" Red took a deep breath, kissing her neck softly before sitting up straight and letting go of her hands. "I'm a vegetarian."

"How noble of you," Cinder scoffed, rubbing her wrists before brushing a few loose strands of blonde hair out of her face. "What are you doing here Red?"

"Same thing as you are Cinder." Red got to his feet, brushing his hood off before walking across the room and picking up her dagger. He held it in his hands for a moment, taking in its smooth edges and the intricate carvings on the handle. He turned back to Cinder, helping her to her feet and handing the dagger back to her. She nodded at him, sliding it back into the holster at her hip. "How did you know about this anyway?"

"I shot down one of the Queen's ravens, intercepted the message," Cinder walked over to one of the chairs, kicking it back before sitting down.

Red raised his brows, looking down at Cinder. "You shot down a raven? Who taught you that?" The last time the two of them ran into each other she only knew how to use the dagger at her side. Granted, it was one of the most powerful weapons he had ever seen, but in her hands, it took on a life of its own.

"A huntress living in the forests of West Gallea. She taught me a few tricks. It's not important. I came here to check it out myself. Vampires." Her eyes found his, the accusation in them plain.

"Vampire," Red reached into his pocket, pulling out the note and folding it open, showing it to Cinder. "The Queen was right, she's back."

Cinder's eyes widened as she read the note, her hand instinctively going to the dagger at her side. She had hunted a lot of monsters in her time, but this monster was the one that gave other monsters nightmares. "She's supposed to be a myth."

"Hair as black as the night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow…" Red recited the line from an old children's poem that everyone in the kingdom knew, taking the paper back from Cinder and folding it up again. "It's her, only she would leave this kind of spectacle."

"The Queen must be thrilled then," Cinder stood up, walking over to Red and trailing her fingers along his hood. "The lost princess finally returning home." Her blue eyes met his green ones, and he could tell she was waiting for him to make one wrong move. She had been waiting ever since they met on that blasted pirate ship five years ago.

"Cinder, she will slaughter us all in our beds," he was trying to get her to understand that they weren't just dealing with some menial vampire, they were dealing with _the_ vampire, and they could use the slayer's help.

"That sounds like a problem for the Queen and her Huntsmen. I don't know about you, but I'm set against monsters." Before Red could even blink her dagger was pressed against his chest and she smirked up at him.

"Would you stop pointing that thing at me Cinder? I've been a good boy…most days." He winked down at her, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. She let out a small gasp, a breeze blowing through the small house again, allowing Red to catch another whiff of her scent. She smelled good, she always smelled good to him, and he was tempted on more than one occasion to sink his teeth into her skin. She would kill him of course, but it would be worth it. "If she's back…we'll need your help Cinder."

She sighed, but she didn't make any move to pull away from him. She holstered her dagger again, looking up at Red and taking in his face. He was attractive and he knew it, using it to his advantage more that once. He had shocking green eyes and full lips, and his smile usually melted all the women in the vicinity. "If I agree to this…what's in it for me?"

Red leant down, his lips inches away from hers. "Anything you want sweetheart… it's yours."

Cinder had to struggle to keep her breathing under control. She was used to Red's games, he liked playing them, especially with women he knew he couldn't have. "Alright Red, you got me, let's go."


	3. Snow

_Cinder and Red…what an unlikely pair those two made. They didn't deserve each other, and in a land where no one got their happy ending, things didn't look all too good for the two of them. With the threat of an old foe hanging over their heads, will they be able to work together to save the kingdom? Or will they be pulled apart forever?_

 **The Kingdom of Karid**

 **The Dark Forest**

 **Present Day**

It was a two-day ride back to the capital city from Magellen. Red was itching to get back, and he could have easily ridden for two days straight without rest, but Cinder didn't have the stamina that he did. They rode most of the night and day, barely saying a word to each other.

The last time Red saw Cinder was in a small pub in Harbour Town, almost three years ago. She had grown a lot by then, having spent time in the Yang Empire learning how to master the dagger that Megara gave her. She must have crossed Yang and Solaria to get to Karid and after that, she must have crossed the Gallean sea to learn from the huntress in West Gallea. Cinder was a fighter, and one with a strong sense of right and wrong. She was trying to make this world a better place. Red only wished that he could get it through her head that not everything was black and white.

"We should stop here for the night," Cinder said a few hours before sunset. They were cutting through the Dark Forest to save some time and had reached a small clearing with a patch of bright green grass. Red nodded, seeing how tired she was from riding a day and a half. Cinder dismounted, her legs shaking as her feet touched the ground. She stretched, letting out a small yawn which she hid from Red's view. Five years and she still didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. She grabbed her horse's reins, tugging it along gently to one of the nearby trees and tying the reins around it. Red did the same, fishing an apple out of his bag and feeding it to his horse.

"I'll go get us some dinner," Red volunteered, pulling his hood up over his head again. "You start a fire, make sure we have enough wood to keep it going. Things go bump in the night in this forest." He didn't give Cinder a chance to protest before stalking back into the forest. He was hungry, and although he had complete faith in his self control he didn't want to risk anything with Cinder so close. It was better for him to be fed. He kept walking, barely making any noise as he went deeper into the forest until he couldn't hear Cinder anymore.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and listening to the sounds of the forest. It was supposed to be haunted by the spirits of those who were brutally murdered in the war of Queens a thousand years ago, but no one has ever actually seen a ghost. Red knew that there were worse things than ghosts in this forest. Bandits, goblins and even rogue dwarves roam the forest, looking for someone to rob. Vampires occasionally pass through, but they didn't appreciate the outdoors that much. Two years ago there were reports of a werewolf pack running through the forest. Red personally tracked their prints, but he never found any of them. He steered clear of werewolves, avoiding them more than he avoided dwarves. He knew Cinder could handle herself, but he didn't want to leave her alone for too long.

"There you are…" He whispered to himself, his senses picking up on the tiniest movement to his left. Riding in the sun all day did not do him any favours, so he used the last bit of his strength to capture two turkeys. He snapped one's neck, tossing it to the side before sinking his teeth into the other one. They tasted horrible, like dirt and old leather shoes, but he had to make do.

Red wasn't a fully fledged vampire. He's never tasted human blood before, not even on the orders of the Mad King. He stuck to animals, which was why Cinder didn't kill him the first day they met on Wendy's ship.

Red tossed the bird away once it was dry, wiping off his mouth on his hood before picking up the other turkey and heading back to their campsite. Cinder had already started the fire, her arms wrapped around her slender body as she stared into the flames. Next to her sat a pile of wood, large enough to keep the fire going through the night. "I got you something good." Red dropped the turkey next to Cinder on the ground. She looked up at him, eyeing him for a moment.

The colour had returned to his cheeks and he wasn't so pale anymore. His green eyes seemed brighter and his mood had improved. Cinder understood that Red had no control over what the Mad King did to him, but to her he would always remain a monster.

"Thanks," Cinder nodded, grabbing the turkey and starting to pull out its feathers. The sun had set, leaving the forest around them dark. For a while the only noise came from the fire crackling and Cinder preparing the turkey. Red paced around the campsite, his ears wide open and listening for any signs of trouble. He didn't think anyone would dare cross the two of them, the huntsman and the slayer both had a reputation for killing first and asking questions later.

"How is the warrior Queen?" Red asked a while later, sitting down next to Cinder who was just finishing the turkey.

"How do you know that I've had contact with Merida?" Cinder asked, licking her fingers before tossing the bones inside the flames.

"No one can shoot a bow quite like she does, and after having Mulan as your teacher, you'd only want the best."

Cinder narrowed her eyes at him. She hated the way he always knew what she was doing and where she was going. She hunted monsters for a living, she couldn't afford to be that predictable. Red was the Queen's own personal Huntsman, and before that Red was a spy for the Mad King of Solaria. He had connections all over the world, which made Cinder even more uneasy. "Merida is fine. Still kicking ass as usual and refusing to marry. Her mother is looking to push one of her brothers onto the throne, but they're not having it."

"The whole family is feisty. Her father was a good man," Red nodded, remembering the West Gallean King. He was one of those rare rulers who only wanted the best for his people and for his family.

"Are we going to stop talking about Gallea and start talking about Karid? Tell me the story of Snow White." Cinder leaned back against her arms, but her body was still tense. She was not letting her guard down around Red.

"It's a story meant to scare children into behaving. Didn't you hear it as a child?" Red grew up in Solaria under the watchful eye of the Mad King, but even there he heard the story of the vampire child born to King Henry and his first wife, Queen Mary. It was rumoured to be a brutal birth, the baby had ripped her way out of Queen Mary, killing her in the process. King Henry could not stand to look at the child who had killed his beloved wife, so he almost had the child thrown out a window.

"No one read me bedtime stories as a child," Cinder scoffed, offended that he even had to ask her that question. He knew how she was raised, he knew more about her than anyone else did.

"Queen Lucille's husband, King Henry, was married to another woman before he married her. Queen Mary was beautiful, but not the smartest woman in the land. She was desperate for a child, fearing that she would lose her husband to another woman. She struck a deal with the goddess of the underworld, a deal that would allow her to have a child. She didn't know that all deals came with a price." Red's eyes found Cinder's, the meaning behind them clear. Cinder shrugged and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her body again and shivering slightly. She knew all too well that deals with the devil came with a price. "A few weeks later, Queen Mary found out that she was pregnant. The King was overjoyed, and he worshipped at Mary's feet. It was everything she wanted, but she didn't know the cost. The baby tore its way out of her, injuring her so bad that the doctors couldn't do anything about it. She was alive long enough to hold her baby girl for a few minutes. _Lips as red as blood, hair as black as the night, skin as white as snow…_ Those were Queen Mary's last words before she passed away. King Henry was distraught, maddened by the grief of losing his wife. He intended to throw the child out of a window, but once he held her in his arms he could not let her go. She was beautiful, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He named her Snow White, and she was his favourite."

"The King did not realise what she was?" Cinder had never encountered a pure-born vampire before. They were extremely rare, thought to be a myth. Fully fledged and halfling vampires were human before they were turned, but pure-born vampires were never human to begin with.

"No one realised what she was until the King married Queen Lucille. Unlike everyone else, she was not blind to Snow White's antics. During a temper tantrum when she was ten, Snow slaughtered the entire palace, including her father. Lucille was in Solaria at the time, pregnant with Prince Henry. When she returned she had Snow White burned at the stake, but there was always a doubt in her mind that Snow was really dead."

"What made her doubt it?" Cinder asked, her eyes on the flames in front of her, trying to imagine what it must have felt like for Queen Lucille to return home to the monster who killed all those innocent people. The Queen was hard and not someone to mess with, maybe that day turned her into what she is now.

"The way Snow White looked at her during the execution. She didn't make a sound, didn't even move as she burned. The Queen has been uneasy for years."

"That's why she started training the Huntsmen," Cinder said, putting two and two together. The Queen only started training her elite force of soldiers after King Henry died. The Huntsmen were meant to serve and protect the Queen, as well as eliminate any threats to the kingdom.

"That is correct, and it seems like our day has come." Red ran a hand through his messy black hair, trying not to think about the upcoming battles they would have to fight. "Story time is over, you should get some rest."

Cinder narrowed her eyes at him, shaking her head. "You can sleep, I'll take the first watch."

 _Stubborn woman,_ Red thought to himself, letting out a sigh. "I don't need as much sleep as you do and you know it. I'm not going to hurt you Cinder. You can sleep with your dagger by your side as well as my sword." Red stood up, walking over to his horse and taking his sword out of its holster. He handed it to Cinder, indicating that he was not going to debate this. She needed to get some sleep.

"It's not your sword I'm worried about," Cinder mumbled under her breath, but she took the sword anyway, laying down on the ground a few feet away from the fire and closing her eyes, willing herself to get some rest.

"No one is ever going to hurt you Cinder," Red said softly as he watched the slayer slip off into dreamland.


	4. Brother and Sister

"Duck!" Hansel yelled, grabbing his sister by the arm and pulling her down with him. The axe flew through the air, lodging itself in the wall a few inches away from their heads. Hansel let go of his sister, sliding underneath one of the tables to trip the man who had just thrown the axe at their heads. Gretel stood up straight, pulling the axe from the wall and jumping over the table to help her brother. She spun the axe around in her hands, using the butt of it to hit the oaf over the head. He was a large man, but Gretel put enough force into her attack to knock him out. She tossed the axe to the side, offering her brother a hand up.

"You just had to piss him off," she snapped at her brother, who was busy dusting himself off. The tavern had grown silent, all eyes on the pair of huntsmen.

"It's not my fault he wouldn't go willingly," Hansel breathed hard, trying to get his breath back. "Go back to your business," he told the townsfolk, who hastily returned to their food and their drink. No one dared to cross a huntsman in Aramore. Hansel bent down, turning the oaf over onto his stomach. Gretel simply rolled her eyes at her brother, handing him a pair of shackles.

"We're going to need a trolley to get him out of here," Gretel said as she watched her brother struggle to get the shackles around the oaf's wrists. An hour ago they had received word that one of the Queen's most wanted had wandered into one of the Taverns in town. It seemed suspicious, Black Pete knew he was wanted by the Queen, why would he just wander into town? He was a criminal mastermind, it had to be some sort of trick. The Queen wasn't stupid, she had her own suspicions, which is why she sent her huntsmen. With Red still out of town, it was up to Hansel and Gretel, Red's most trusted lieutenants. Hansel was an idiot for provoking Pete by calling him fat. Both of them almost lost their heads with that bloody axe.

"That was a nice shot," Hansel said as he finally managed to get the shackles on Pete. He rolled him back over, smirking as he saw the large bruise forming on Pete's head. "Have you been working out?"

Gretel balled her fists, resisting the urge to punch her older brother. He was only one year older, but he liked to think that made him in charge of the duo. He was a good fighter, Gretel would give him that, but he lacked tact. "Shut up and get him out of here before he wakes up. I don't want to have to save your ass again," Gretel nudged Pete with her boot before making her way out of the tavern. Their horses were still tied to the post outside and Gretel leant against hers, waiting for Hansel to make his appearance. It didn't take him long. He marched out of the tavern with Pete stuffed inside a cart and a smirk plastered all over his face.

"The owner of the tavern was kind enough to lend me his cart," Hansel said with a smug smile as he hooked the cart up to his horse. Gretel wasn't surprised, everything always worked out in favour of her brother. Things just fell into place for him, whether by accident or intentional Gretel wasn't always sure. He was a schmoozer for sure. "He said it would be an honour to help a huntsman."

Gretel scoffed and climbed onto her horse, taking the reins between her hands. "Careful Hansel, if you become any smoother you'll slide out of your saddle."

Hansel laughed, kicking his horse softly and urging her forward. Gretel followed, keeping a watchful eye on the still out cold Pete. They made their way through the streets of Aramore, the capital city of the Kingdom of Karid. It was a busy city, one of the biggest in the world. The sun had just set and bright lights spilt from the windows of the houses and taverns lining the street. Everyone kept clear of the huntsmen, not wanting to get into any trouble. Some of the Queen's officers patrolled the streets, nodding at Hansel and Gretel as they passed. The officers were in charge of keeping the peace in Aramore, whereas the huntsmen were an elite fighting force charged with the safety of the entire country.

They were trained from an early age to fight for the Queen, most of them were orphans like Hansel and Gretel, brought to the palace and trained there. Some of them, like Red, were invited to join the huntsmen because of the extraordinary skills they possessed. Her brother always took everything in his stride, losing their parents, almost being eaten by a witch, joining the huntsmen and killing for the Queen. He never let anything bother him, and if it did, he didn't show it. She watched him as he swayed back and forth in his saddle, whistling a tune and waving at a few of the locals he knew. If only she could be as carefree as he was.

"Hey Al," Hansel greeted the guard at the gate of the palace. Aramore Palace was a sight to behold. Situated in the middle of Aramore, the palace was surrounded by a moat said to be filled with man-eating mermaids. Gretel knew this wasn't true, the moat was too shallow to house any mermaids, but the palace was something that inspired the imagination. Spires made out of diamonds stuck out against the dark night sky, making it seem like they were made out of stars and galaxies. The sheer size of the palace dwarfed everything around it. It was a statement to the rest of the world, showing how wealthy Karid was.

The guard nodded at the two of them, lowering the drawbridge. Hansel and Gretel crossed, Pete still snoring. Gretel couldn't tell if he was faking it or not, surely he should have been awake by now?

"The Queen wants you to join her in the throne room. Red has returned," Al called after them, raising the drawbridge behind them Hansel and Gretel exchanged a glance before both of them urged their horses forward. They raced through the courtyard, coming to a stop in front of the stables.

"Jackson!" Gretel barked, her mood darkening as she spotted the stable boy. He was sitting back in his chair, his mouth hanging open and his eyes closed. Her sharp voice startled him and he sat up straight, blinking a few times before taking in the two of them.

"You're back!" Jackson squeaked as he got to his feet, taking the reins of Gretel's horse as she dismounted.

"Yes. Call up some of the huntsmen to help you put him in the dungeon. We'll be by to question him later," Gretel instructed the boy. He nodded eagerly, half running to the stable to put away her horse.

"You're too hard on him Gretel," Hansel said as he dismounted, handing his horse to one of the other stable boys.

"And you're too soft on him," Gretel said, pulling her hood up over her head. Jackson was a good worker, albeit a little lazy sometimes. Gretel saw a young Hansel in him, and she was hard on him with good reason. Sometimes Hansel needed someone to guide him in the right direction, and so did Jackson.

"Come, let's not keep her majesty waiting." Hansel pulled his hood over his head as well, the fur lining tickling his ears and head. He hated the hoods, but they were a trademark of the huntsmen. Hansel and Gretel made their way inside the palace, keeping their eyes in front of them and their faces expressionless. Neither of them were afraid of the Queen, but she commanded respect, and they owed her their lives.

The inside of the palace was just as stunning as the outside. Wide open spaces with white marble floors, golden furniture and diamond windows. In each room they passed through a fire burned, chasing away the early autumn chill. They soon reached the throne room, a large room with arched ceilings and golden walls. The Queen's throne was black as night, made from the rarest material to be found in the dwarf mines: black diamonds.

"Your majesty," Hansel and Gretel said softly, bowing in front of their Queen.

Lucille was…just as intimidating as her palace. Her skin was flawless, a beautiful ivory. Her hair was a honey golden brown, falling down in soft curls to her waist. Her eyes were black as her throne, cold and hard to read. She rose to her feet, standing tall over her huntsmen.

"Hansel, Gretel, congratulations with your capture of Black Pete." Her voice was soft, yet it cut straight through them like a hot knife through butter.

"It was our pleasure, your majesty," Hansel said, slowly straightening up. Gretel did the same, eyeing the Queen from underneath her hood. Next to the throne stood Prince Henry, his silver crown sitting on his head and glinting in the firelight. His eyes were not on his mother, instead they stared across the room at something…or rather someone.

Gretel's eyes followed the prince's, meeting a pair of mischievous green eyes. Red winked at Gretel, his hood pulled back to reveal his messy black hair. Beside him stood a girl Gretel had never seen before, but she could easily guess who this woman was. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a sloppy braid and her blue eyes scanned the room. Gretel knew that look all too well, the blonde was looking for ways to escape. On her cheek was the scar most of Karid had come to fear, a burn mark in the shape of a star left there by her evil stepmother. The woman next to Red was Cinderella, the most feared monster slayer in all of the kingdom, and the prince could not take his eyes off her.

"Red," the Queen beckoned him forward. "Tell your huntsmen what you told me."

Red stepped forward, walking to the centre of the room where Hansel and Gretel stood. He nodded at them both, keeping his face expressionless as they talked in front of the Queen. "A few days ago a dwarf sent us a message from Magellen. There had been a brutal murder, the dwarves thought it might be vampires. I went to investigate and found three dwarves brutally murdered, puncture wounds in their necks."

Gretel stiffened, not sure she wanted to hear the rest of Red's story. Vampires were almost as bad as witches, at least vampires had the decency to kill you quickly.

"I found this note at the scene," Red handed Gretel a folded piece of paper, his face grim. Gretel unfolded the paper, holding it up for her brother to see as well. The words jumped out at her and she felt her throat tighten. Her hands shook and she quickly handed the paper back to Red before the Queen could see her fear.

"Surely it can't be true, your majesty," Gretel looked to her Queen, praying to whoever was listening above that this was a joke.

Gretel remembered that day quite vividly, even though she was only six years old at the time. The Queen had just started training her huntsmen when Snow White was executed. Hansel and Gretel were two of the first huntsmen. They were not allowed to watch what happened to the monster, but they snuck out of their dormitories anyway. They had heard stories of the evil princess Snow White, and they wanted to see the monster for themselves. They crept along the roof of the palace, careful not to make any noise. Snow White was being burned at the stake. She held perfectly still as the executioner lit the pyre, the flames starting to move up toward her body. She didn't make a sound as the flames burned her flesh and ate her alive. Gretel could not see who Snow was looking at, but she was sure it was the Queen. Snow White's death has haunted her ever since that day. After the fire burned out the executioner pulled a charred body from the pyre, breaking it apart with his axe and throwing the pieces in the moat.

"It is her. I suspected that she would hide in the Karid Mountains, and when she was ready she would come down and slaughter us all." The Queen folded her hands in front of her, making eye contact with each of them.

"If that is true, your majesty, she must be planning to escalate the scale of her attacks. The attack in Magellen was hidden, and although it was a slaughter, it was not a spectacle. She'll want to put on a show," Red said, his eyes meeting the Queen's.

"Yes, she'll want to make a spectacle, she will want the entire kingdom to know she is back." The Queen nodded in agreement. She walked back up the dais to her throne, sitting down. Her black dress twirled around her, continuing to move around her after she sat down.

"Mother, allow me to —" Prince Henry spoke for the first time, but the Queen cut him off by holding her hand in the air.

"No, not now Henry. My huntsmen are tired. Let them rest, we shall continue this discussion in the morning." 


	5. the Queen and The Prince

p class="p1"span class="s1"The Queen sat in her study, her slender hands folded together, her eyes staring straight ahead, not really seeing anything in front of her. Her mind was in the past, a time when things were simpler, easier. A time when she didn't have to carry an entire nation on her shoulders. Before she became the Queen, before she became cold and hard, she was just a woman who lived in a small village. She was happy there. Her father never had much money, but he always found a way to give her everything she wanted. They had a small farm, and she dreamed her whole life of one day marrying someone who could take care of the farm with her. She loved the animals, the way she could see her hard work when the time came to harvest their crop. Then one day a grieving King rode through their village, astonished by her beauty he asked her to be his Queen. It wasn't what she wanted, but no one refused the King. /span/p  
p class="p2"She sat up straight, rolling her shoulders back. She was a simple farm girl when she married the King, but his staff quickly changed that. She was given extensive lessons on how to behave, how to sit, stand and speak. She was given lessons in politics, economics, and military training, even though the King was opposed to the latter. He didn't want his Queen to know anything about fighting wars, but she was adamant. She knew she was going to need it. /p  
p class="p2"A frown appeared on her normally smooth forehead as she sat back in her chair, crossing her ankles underneath the table. Snow White. The King's daughter. The only true born vampire that they knew of. The Queen had never been superstitious, she didn't believe in monsters or demons until she met the young princess. She was beautiful in an otherworldly way. Skin as smooth as marble and as white as snow, lips stained with blood and hair and eyes as black as the night. The vampire child was impatient, especially when she got hungry. The King turned a blind eye to his daughter's behaviour, but not the Queen. It was only by luck that she had left the palace on the night that Snow decided to slaughter everyone inside of it, including her father. The Queen always knew the girl would come for her, and her son. According to law, Snow White was the King's firstborn, and therefore she was the rightful heir to Karid. Considering most of the world thought she was dead, Henry was next in line for the throne. He was coming of age this year, turning 25. The Queen knew that this was the year that Snow would come for them. /p  
p class="p2"There was a knock on her door, pulling her out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat, running her fingers over her forehead to get rid of the frown. "Enter," she said softly, one eyebrow raised as she waited for the person who dared to disturb her to enter. A brown head of hair was the first to appear around the door, followed by the same brown eyes that once belonged to the King. His silver crown was no longer on his head, and he had changed out of his official uniform into a loose shirt and pants. Her son was the spitting image of his father, a ruler in every way. But he was not 25 yet, and she was still Regent. "Come in darling," she beckoned for him to come closer. /p  
p class="p2"Henry closed the door behind him, walking across the carpeted floor toward his mother's desk. She looked tired, the dark circles under her eyes were evidence of her lack of sleep these last few days. Running a country wasn't easy, especially in these troubled times. "Mother I want to discuss something with you." /p  
p class="p2"She nodded, fearing that this would come. She had seen the look in his eye in the throne room when her Huntsmen broke the news of Snow's return. It was the same look his father had on many occasions when there was a battle to be fought. It was a look of stubborn determination. Henry took a seat on one of the chairs opposite her, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. /p  
p class="p2""I want to go after her." /p  
p class="p2"Lucille laughed, half hysterical and half unsurprised. "You want to go after a vampire? You have no idea how to fight monsters."/p  
p class="p2"The prince frowned at his mother. "I've been training with your huntsmen ever since I could walk. You know I have the skills to take her down." It was not entirely true. The prince had many gifts, but fighting was not one of them. He was good with knives, he could hit a target at any range and he never missed, but hand to hand combat was not his strength. He wanted to do this, he was turning 25 this year and a King protects his Kingdom. /p  
p class="p2""That is why I trained the huntsmen so that you wouldn't have to face this threat," Lucille said, shaking her head. "Your job is to run a kingdom, their job is to protect it." Lucille had always been a forward thinker, training the huntsmen to keep the Kingdom safe from monsters. Ever since she took over as Regent, crime has gone down and Karid was more peaceful now than ever. The huntsmen had their reputation for being brutal, but fair. They were the elite, and Lucille would exchange hundreds of them for the life of her only son. /p  
p class="p2""My job is to protect the Kingdom, mother. I am their prince, and soon I would be their King. They need to know that I am willing to put them above everything else." Henry had not spent much time outside the palace walls, his mother had always been wary. He was the only living heir to Karid, there were bound to be attempts on his life, if not from monsters then from rival kingdoms. His mother greatly improved relations with their neighbouring kingdoms, but she was always careful. He had only been outside a few times, and he has never left the capital. He knew the people were uneasy about Lucille leaving the throne, and this was his chance to show them that he was ready to be their King. /p  
p class="p2""You are not King yet, Henry," she said coldly. "And you will do as you are told by your Queen. You are not joining the huntsmen and my decision is final." She knew he was eager to prove himself to the kingdom, but there were other ways of doing it. He didn't need to risk his life./p  
p class="p2"Henry had expected this sort of reaction from his mother. She was overprotective of him, but sooner or later he was going to have to put his foot down, with or without her permission. He knew their conversation would be short, she would dismiss him and his idea of going after Snow White, but she would have to physically restrain him if she wanted to keep him here. He squared his shoulders, determination in his eyes. "Respectfully mother, you are only my regent. You cannot keep me in this palace," he said in the same cold and direct tone she always used when speaking as the Queen. /p  
p class="p2"Lucille flinched as if someone had punched her in the face. She did not expect him to disobey her, he never did. "So help me, Henry I will lock you in the tower," she growled, clenching her fists, her long nails digging into her palms. "This is not up for discussion."/p  
p class="p2"Henry had only seen his mother angry a few times and she was a force to be reckoned with. He didn't like pushing her, even know he could see the fire slowly growing in her eyes. "I think this should be discussed. I will be King, this is my Kingdom. You cannot control me forever." Henry kept his voice calm, not breaking eye contact with his mother. /p  
p class="p2"Lucille stared back at him, shadows moving across her face. Her eyes grew dark as she turned away from her son. "Get. Out," she said between clenched teeth, her heart hammering in her ears. /p  
p class="p2""Mother…" Henry pleaded, but she was done with this conversation. /p  
p class="p2""Get out!" She yelled, causing Henry to jump to his feet and rush for the door. He closed it behind him, just in time to hear the sound of glass shattering against one of the walls. Making his mother angry was not the best approach, but she would not listen to reason. In his mind, it made perfect sense for him to go after the monster. He spent months in his mother's library, reading up about vampires and where they came from. He had heard enough tales from the huntsmen to know how to kill a vampire, all he needed was one shot with a wooden stake. /p  
p class="p2"Henry wandered aimlessly through the palace, aware of the guards shadowing him. He had gotten used to it by now, there was always someone watching him. His mind was on Snow White, the sister he had never known, but heard stories of. The legends said that she was terrifyingly beautiful, kind of like his mother. She never resembled Queen Mary, a rather plain woman as far as he could tell from her portrait. It hung in one of the rooms his mother rarely used, as she did not like to be reminded of the Queen that came before her. Henry knew every inch of the palace, having explored it all by the time he turned fifteen. He knew ever room, every turn, and every secret hiding spot. He also knew every way to get out of the palace undetected. /p  
p class="p2"If he had the strength he would have snuck out by now and made his way down to the city. He liked wandering the city at night, he liked knowing what was going on in the place he was destined to rule. But tonight his feet lead him toward the huntsmen's quarters. It was well past midnight and most of them would be asleep, but that suited Henry just fine. /p  
p class="p2"When he was a young boy and he started to train with the huntsmen he didn't do very well. He was uncoordinated and off his balance. He was too skinny and didn't have the upper body strength to even hold up a sword. His instructors were at a loss with him. It wasn't till some of the other huntsmen started to tease him one day that he picked up a knife and threw it across the room, nicking one of them on the ear. One of his instructors were nearby and saw that he had a talent for throwing things, and thus he started training with knives the next day. He never missed a target. /p  
p class="p2"The huntsmen's training camp was dark, lit only by the soft blue light of the moon. Henry stepped lightly, not wanting to wake them. He learned long ago that it was not a good idea to sneak up on a sleeping huntsmen. He found himself in the shooting range, his footsteps echoing off the stone floor. He ran his hands along the various bows and arrows before his fingers found the cold steel of his throwing knives. He picked them up off the rack, carrying them toward one of the weapon tables. He laid them out one by one, holding them in his hands and testing their balance. A moonbeam shone right on the target fifty paces away, lighting it up perfectly. Henry took one look at the target before picking up the biggest knife on the table. He didn't even aim before the blade left his hand, spinning end over end down the range and hitting the target dead center. Henry smirked to himself, letting three more knives flying down the range, all hitting the bullseye. Throwing knives always took his mind off of things. /p  
p class="p2"There was the faintest sound of movement behind him, a heel clicking against the stone floor. All the blood in his body rushed to his head, his heart pounding. Instinct took over and he turned, the blade already leaving his hand. It embedded itself in the wall an inch away from Cinderella's nose./p  
p class="p2"She blinked as the moonlight reflected off the blade, taking a step back and pulling it out of the wall before turning to the prince. "You missed," she stated, walking over to the weapons table and putting the blade down. /p  
p class="p2""I never miss," Henry countered, folding his arms over his chest. "What are you doing here?"/p  
p class="p2""That is an excellent question, your highness," she mumbled under hear breath as if she was wondering about the answer herself. Her eyes ran across the knives, all different shapes and sizes. /p  
p class="p2""Please call me Henry." The woman intrigued him when he first saw her that afternoon. Tales of a monster-slaying woman had reached the palace about three years ago, and the Queen has been trying to recruit Cinderella into the huntsmen for some time, but she refused. She hunted monsters on her own terms, not the Queen's. Henry had never met her before, only heard the stories. /p  
p class="p2"Cinderella nodded, picking up one of his knives and throwing it across the room. It landed just shy of the bullseye and Henry felt himself smirking. At least he had better aim than the slayer. She picked up two more knives, sending them flying in quick succession. They landed smack in the middle of two different bullseyes. Henry's smirk faded. /p  
p class="p2""You never married," the slayer said suddenly, causing Henry to raise an eyebrow at her. She saw the look he was giving her and elaborated. "Five years ago your mother held a party where you were supposed to find a bride. You never did." Cinderella had no love for the royal family. She felt some resentment toward them, even though she knew it was unjustified. They held parties while she was being beaten and forced into slavery, and that made her hate them a little. Megara's words suddenly echoed in her ears. emOr I could give you a prince and a castle. I heard Prince Henry is looking for a wife. /emShe had never considered the devil's second offer, Cinder didn't want to be a princess or a queen. /p  
p class="p2"It was an odd thing to say, but Henry just shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I never found someone who could do the job." It was only a half-truth. He needed someone who could run a country by his side, but he also wanted someone he could love and care for. Like he told his mother after the party; he couldn't find someone to love in the span of one evening. /p  
p class="p2""I suppose that when you're royalty love doesn't matter," Cinder leaned against the weapons table, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. /p  
p class="p2""I have a duty to this country, my needs come after it," Henry said simply. He didn't expect her to understand that, but something told him that she was used to putting other people's needs in front of hers. She was a vampire slayer, after all, it wasn't the safest profession. /p  
p class="p2""I understand that. You want to keep this country safe."/p  
p class="p2"The Prince nodded, wondering where she was going with this conversation. "I'll do anything to keep this country safe." /p  
p class="p2"Cinderella glanced back at the targets before nodding slowly. "Get some sleep your highness, we have work to do in the morning." /p 


	6. The Huntsmen

The huntsmen's dining hall was filled to the brim. Huntsmen of various shape, size and age sat around long wooden tables, ale in the one hand and meat in the other. Hearty conversations flowed between them as if they didn't have a care in the world. It was the lighthearted conversations at dinner and the playful banter between them that kept them all sane. Being a huntsman was no easy task. You had to protect and serve an entire nation, a nation that was constantly under threat. Sometimes you had to do things you weren't proud of, but you did it for the greater good.

Their commander sat in the corner, his red hood pulled low over his eyes. He didn't touch the full plate of food in front of him, but he did finish his second glass of ale. His companions didn't say much either. Cinderella picked at her food, her eyes cast down. Hansel ate like someone who hadn't seen food in months and Gretel was watching her brother with disgust. No one dared to bother Red or the rest of his gang, they could see that they weren't in a chatty mood. Red put down the glass, crossing his arms over his chest and surveying the people in front of him. They were the best of the best, but he feared that they would not be enough. Snow White could tear her way through armies for all they knew. There was staggeringly little information on pure born vampires, considering that there was only one in the entire world, but somewhere someone must know something. Red wasn't one to march into battle without knowing his enemy inside and out. He grew up as a spy, getting to know the enemies of the Mad King. It was second nature for him. Most huntsmen killed first and asked questions later, and normally Red would follow that routine, but there was still a part of him that needed to dig up all the information he could. Information was a powerful weapon.

"It's odd, isn't it," Hansel broke the silence, finishing his food and taking a large gulp of ale. "Why would the Queen dismiss us like that? Surely the situation needs her immediate attention."

Red glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearing eleven, a late hour even for the Queen. He had seen the look in her eyes when the Prince dared to speak, and he knew why she wanted to cut their meeting short.

"She does not want the Prince involved in this matter," Cinderella answered, saying what Red intended to say. She had seen the look in the Prince's eye, it was one she knew well.

"The Queen wants to protect her only son and the heir to this Kingdom. I would have done the same," Gretel said, pushing her plate toward her brother and allowing him to finish the rest of her food. Whatever decision the Queen made, Gretel would obey it. That was what they were taught to do from a young age. The Queen was the highest authority and they answered to her.

"If the Prince wants to come, let him. He's no good to this Kingdom locked in an ivory tower," Hansel scoffed between bites of his sister's food. He knew the Prince well, they had trained together when they were little. Hansel often helped Henry to sneak out of the palace and experience life beyond his walls. A Prince and future King should know what his kingdom is like.

"The Prince is not going anywhere, Hansel," Red replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "And neither are we. The Queen hasn't sent us anywhere." Red knew that they were the most likely ones to be sent to deal with Snow White. He had already started to form a plan of attack against the vampire princess, and he knew that he wanted Hansel, Gretel and Cinderella to accompany him. Still, the Queen could choose to send other huntsmen after Snow, or choose not to send any and just wait for Snow to reveal herself. Either way, they were going to have to obey the Queen's wishes.

"Surely she'll send us after Snow?" Cinderella kept her voice low as to not alarm the other huntsmen. She turned on the bench, swinging one leg over each side so that she was now facing Red. He was the one who asked her to accompany him to the palace, he was the one who asked for her help in taking Snow White down. Surely that meant that he was sure the Queen would send them after her?

"There is no doubt in my mind that she will send us, but we will have to wait until morning to find out." The dining hall had started to run empty, and only a few huntsmen remained talking in hushed tones to each other.

"We'll need some help if we are to go after her, it can't just be the four of us," Gretel whispered, looking around their small group. Her eyes lingered for a moment on Cinderella. She was here because Red asked her, that much was clear. The Queen has been trying to recruit Cinderella for years now, but the slayer wanted to do things on her own terms. It made Gretel a little wary of the woman. She played by her own rules and not the rules set for them by the monarchy. Surely that meant she was some sort of vigilante?

Cinderella caught the red head's eyes linger on her for a second longer than the rest. The two women had barely said a word to each other after being introduced a few hours ago. Cinder could not quite put her finger on it, but she was sure there was going to be trouble between her and the huntsman. She was rigid and uptight, someone who played by the rules. Cinder admired that, she lived her life according to a set of morals and values that she refused to compromise on, and she had a feeling that Gretel did the same. It was a shame, however, that they had different morals and values.

"I have some ideas, but we're still waiting on the Queen," Red said as he rubbed his chin, weighing his options. There were several huntsmen under his command, but none that he would take with him on this mission. It required tact and knowledge and bravery. They were going up against a monster, and though his huntsmen were skilled and brave, he didn't trust them to deal with this.

"I have one as well, but I still need to confirm it," Cinderella stifled a yawn, indicating that it was time for all of them to hit the hay. She didn't get much sleep these last few nights. Red made her anxious, and she would rather not be alone with him. Vampires had the ability to manipulate people, though his ability wasn't as strong since he was not a fully fledged vampire.

"We'll discuss this tomorrow, get some sleep," Red ordered, casting one last glance around the table before getting up. He was hungry and the kitchen always kept some live chickens for him to snack on when he got back. He preferred something bigger, like a lion or a bear, something that ate meat as well, but for now, he was going to have to make do with the chickens.

* * *

Later that night Red found himself in the last place he thought he'd be tonight; Cinderella's bedroom. He didn't know what it was about the woman that pulled him towards her, but there was something. She had made her intentions very clear the day they met on that pirate ship, but still, he was fascinated by her. He couldn't sleep, not that he needed to, so he started wandering the halls of the dormitories and found himself in front of Cinder's door.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to lurk in doorways?" Her voice came from behind him, a harsh whisper. She was pissed off at finding him there.

"Off for a midnight stroll were we?" He turned around to face her, her blue eyes glinting underneath a ray of moonlight that shone in through a nearby window. Her hair was hanging in loose curls down her shoulders and her body was more relaxed. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were surrounded by sleeping huntsmen who would jump out of bed the moment they heard someone scream.

"It's none of your business Red," she scoffed, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you going to let me into my room now, I would like to get some sleep."

"Where were you?" He asked, mimicking her stance and raising one eyebrow at her.

"Are you my keeper now?"

"You're in my compound Cinder, I need to know the movements of all our visitors," Red smirked. It wasn't entirely true. She was in his compound, but he couldn't care less about the movements of visitors. He wanted to know where she had been out of pure curiosity, that's all it was. Curiosity.

She eyed him, trying to make up her mind about whether or not he was being serious. He held her gaze, not backing down, and finally, she let out a huff. "I was throwing knives at targets." She didn't need to inform him about her conversation with the prince, that was for her ears only and she heard what she needed to hear. "And if you do not move your ass right now I will happily throw some knives at you," she sneered, taking a step closer to him and willing him to back off.

Red looked down at the small woman, knowing full and well that she wouldn't hesitate to use him as target practise. He took a step back, allowing her into her room. It was pointless trying to fight with this woman, even though he enjoyed it a little too much.

Cinder let out a sigh of relief, pushing past him and opening the door to her room. It was small like she expected the huntsmen's dormitories to be. They didn't need much, so all the room had was a bed, a nightstand, a dresser and a rack to hang weapons on. It was bare and lacked a certain warmth. She imagined that most huntsmen had some other personal effects in their rooms, but Cinderella had nothing. Her entire life stayed behind the moment she accepted the deal she made with Megara. She had taken only one thing with her, a picture of her, her mother and her father, and kept it safely tucked away in her saddle.

"Are you going to invite me in?" Red asked, still lingering in the doorway.

"What do you want, Red?" Cinder asked, the lack of sleep making her more irritable than usual. She didn't have the strength to deal with him right now, and the tiny bed looked more and more inviting.

"I…" He didn't actually know what he wanted. He didn't know why he came to a stop in front of her door and why he was still talking to her. "I came to make sure you were alright. Finding out a true born vampire is alive and meeting the Queen in the span of two days must take a toll on a person," Red scrambled to come up with an excuse as to why he was here.

Cinder's eyes scanned him up and down, wondering what he was hiding from her. She didn't know what game he was playing, but she wasn't going to fall victim to it. He could go and stuff it for all she cared. His mischievous green eyes and dishevelled black hair had no effect on her what so ever.

"I'm fine Red. Get some sleep," she nodded at him, closing the door gently and dismissing him. She sighed, taking a moment to pull herself together. She was not about to let Red in anytime soon.


End file.
